A few months ago, when discussing overall immigration policy, I wrote: “There is no greater disconnect from ordinary Americans -on any singular issue- than the policy positions of Democrats and Republicans in Washington DC surrounding immigration. President Donald Trump is confronting their unified interests.”  The reaction from Speaker of the House Paul Ryan is directly related to this truism:

(Via Associated Press) […] The top Republican tells WVLK radio in Kentucky, “Well you obviously cannot do that. You cannot end birthright citizenship with an executive order.”
Ryan’s comments Tuesday offered a rare challenge to the president — from his own party. […]  Ryan says Republicans didn’t like when then-President Barack Obama “tried changing immigration laws via executive action. He says “obviously as conservatives we believe in the Constitution.”

Ryan is retiring but the No. 3 House Republican, Louisiana’s Rep. Steve Scalise, said on Fox that he’s glad Trump is considering options. (read more)

It does not go unnoticed that Speaker Ryan never challenged DACA.
It does not go unnoticed that Paul Ryan fully supported the June 2014 house vote for the Senate Gang-of-Eight immigration bill; until Majority Leader Eric Cantor was primaried 48 hours before the vote.
The issue of lax immigration, and the subsequent lack of enforcement, is the cornerstone for the UniParty in Washington DC. It is one of the central elements that isolates the professional political class from the majority of common sense Americans.
For the Democrats, support for open-borders and lax immigration enforcement is part of their overall ideology and fabian world-view.  For traditional republicans support for lax immigration, which allows exploitation of labor, is driven by the Wall Street views of the U.S. Chamber of Commerce (President Tom Donohue), and various elements associated with multinational corporate interests (Koch Brothers).
No amount of external political pressure upon DC will change this dynamic.
The only thing that will fracture this entrenched DC ideology is a long-process to dismantle the system that enables mutually beneficial arrangement.
A few perspective examples:
Senator Lindsey Lindsey Graham will likely support Trump’s initiative to end the anchor baby process, or birthright citizenship.  However, tread cautiously, because Graham looks at this issue as a foot-in-door opportunity to force comprehensive immigration reform. There’s nothing altruistic within the “comprehensive.”
McCain dies; Martha McSally has the same view funded by the same benefactor.  Corker resigns; Mitt Romney has the same view funded by the same benefactor.  Paul Ryan exits; Kevin McCarthy has the same view funded by the same benefactor. See the problem?
If President Trump, on our behalf, is going to defeat the “Big Club” on the issues around immigration he will need two essential elements:
♦First, President Trump will need the unwavering support of common sense middle-America.  When I say ‘unwavering’, I mean total and complete support from everyone, anyone, who wants to see immigration law enforced.  Every entity who supports left-wing progressive globalism will spare no expense in attacking him.  The entire planet will align against him.  If you think things are bad now… oh man, we haven’t seen anything yet.
♦Second, POTUS will need to take the same strategic approach deployed in the trade and financial confrontation to new levels of strategy.  President Trump will need to replace everyone within the administration that is ‘Big Club’-sketchy; with extreme prejudice.  The attacks will come from all directions.  Having to deal with a weaponized intelligence apparatus, a duplicitous cabinet, and a complicit DOJ and FBI will make any immigration enforcement/reform effort almost impossible.   Right now, on the issue of immigration, many within the Trump cabinet are allied with the Donohue/Koch ‘Big Club’.
Suffice to say if the Republicans do not gain seats in the Senate and hold the House of Representatives it won’t even be worth starting.

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